Book return

As far as two of the most memorable scenes: before the book came out, I'd heard from an FIU source about the meeting between the coaching staff and E.J. Hilliard. Since then, several others have confirmed that the book's account of the meeting is close to court record. The postgame locker room bout between strength and conditioning coach Chad Smith and receivers coach Frank Ponce also went down.

The Louisiana-Lafayette trip's details didn't include Chad Moss, senior vice presdient of Moss Construction, builders of the new dorms across the street from the stadium, getting off the plane in exasperation during the hours-long delay before takeoff. Allegedly, the FIU graduate and FIU Foundation board member declared as he left that the non-trip ended his support of FIU athletics.

As for who wrote the book, initially, I heard a few "It must be (former recruiting coordinator) Dennis Smith" declarations from those close to or formerly close to the program. Nobody's raising their hand, though, because, as one assistant said to me, the book coming so soon after the season from an inside person, felt like a violation of implied privacy code.